I’ve struggled with addiction for most of my life. While I was in prison, I met Jimmy Markley—we were incarcerated together. After his release, we stayed in touch and I saw Jimmy became a Peer Recovery Specialist with HCC Network. Seeing the positive changes he made in his life inspired me. When I was released, I made the decision to turn my life around—for myself and for my family.

At first, I stayed in a halfway house, but thanks to Jimmy’s advocacy, I was eventually accepted into the Veteran’s Community Project (VCP), a program that provides tiny homes for veterans. Living there, with housing and utilities covered, gave me the stability I needed to get back on my feet after incarceration. Without the support of HCC Network, I’m not sure my recovery would’ve gone as smoothly.

My whole perspective has shifted. I used to be consumed by addiction—focused only on myself and the next high. Now, I see clearly all the moments I missed with my family and my children, and I’m determined not to go back to that life. These days, I spend as much time outside as I can. I love being near the water—boating, fishing, skiing—it reminds me that life can be calm and full again. None of this would’ve been possible without the support of HCC Network. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.